


Mutual Feelings

by Silveryfeather



Series: Mutual Expressions [2]
Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Adults, Alien Culture, Awkward Crush, Awkward Flirting, F/M, Love Confessions, Past Relationship(s), Post-War, Romance, Shallow Marriages, Swearing, Xenophilia, a lot of swearing, adult conversations, broken marriages, slightly canon divergent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-10-30 21:39:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17836640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silveryfeather/pseuds/Silveryfeather
Summary: Years after the war Marco is met again by a familiar face.





	Mutual Feelings

Marco brought the butt of his baccarat to his lips, taking a drag off of the already almost used cigar. Curling his lips into an ‘O’ he attempts to form rings as he blows out the smoke but fails and ends up coughing. He leans over the railing of his balcony, covering his mouth as he tried to get control of his breathing for a moment. Yeah smoking cigars might look cool in the movies but it was so much more different in real life. 

So much for enjoying an evening smoking a fat one.  
  
Marco snuffed out the cigar before carefully sliding it back into the case. At least they were twelve buck cheapies from the cigar store downtown. Maybe next time he’ll just go for the exotic cigarettes or something like that. Or maybe he should just stop smoking all together. 

“May I take that from you sir?” One of his hired maids stepped up beside him with a warm smile. Marco stared at the blonde woman before taking the box off the balcony ledge then handing it off to her. The woman smiled one last time before walking off, tucking the box away under an arm. 

“That is a filthy habit you know Marco.”   
  
Marco turned around and leaned back, putting both his elbows on the railing. He raised an eyebrow as he got a good look at his wife’s shapely ass as she bent forward, still putting on lipstick like five minutes ago. How long did it take just to put on just a little makeup?   
  
“Yeah, but it’s cool right?” Marco asked, grinning at her in reply. His wife lets out a heavy, loud sigh in reply. “Come on it at least has to be sexy, right Amanda?”   
  
Amanda stands up, straightening out the wrinkles from her black slip dress. She then carefully fixed her curled hair as she looked Marco up and down with her deep brown eyes. A smile tugs at her plump, royal purple colored lips as her eyes come to meet his again. The tall woman walked over to Marco, her hips swaying from side to side, and leans down towards him. The two of them shared in a kiss for a moment before she pulled away.    
  
“Drop dead sexy.” She purred before she stands up straight. “Now I’ve got to head out for a bit dear. Central party and all.”   
  
Marco watched her hip swinging walk as she heads to the bedroom door with a look of interest. His wife waves her hand to get his attention then points to her eyes, telling him to look up there. unwillingingly, Marco obliged. 

“Yeah, just don’t drink too much. The last time you did I had to bail you out of Martine’s back seat of his limo. His boyfriend looked so fucking mortified after he found out you left your-”

“Love?” His wife was opening the door.    
  
“Yeah hun?” Marco replied, grinning.   
  
“You’re cuter when you’re quiet.” With that she slipped out and closed the door. Marco’s smile quickly fades into a frown before he tapped his fingers on the edge of the ledge a few times.    
  
“Yeah… well fuck you too.” Marco muttered, turning around as his mood soured.

Marco’s eyes scanned across the city of Hollywood, taking in the sights. From his hilltop mansion on Beverly Hills, he could almost see Hollywood Studios starting to light up as nighttime starts falling over the city. Lights started to flicker on one by one while the sun sinks below the horizon. His attention is turned downward as his pool and his south tropic inspired gardens start lighting up as well. It was yet another fantastic evening here in the best place on Earth.    
  
Lonely, but great.    
  
“Yeah… Great.” Marco muttered in reply to his own thoughts as he pulled away from the balcony.    
  
He tugs out his hair tie before tossing it on the bedside table, mussing up his permed hair as he does. He then shrugs off his shirt and pants as he makes his way to his closet. With a simple pull on the sliding door, he opens the closet door revealing an insanely large room full of insanely expensive clothing. His kid self would be in awe if he could just see this closet alone.   
  
Marco starts digging through his pajama selection, trying to find his good pair of pajama shorts to put on. It was a pretty hot night so he didn’t need to wear much but some pants. He hated wearing too much clothing anyway since it stuck to him if he started sweating in bed. Once he had slipped on his pants he closed the closet door and starts heading back to bed.    
  
But a knock at the door stopped him.    
  
“Sir?” A man’s voice called to him from the other side of the door. One of his security guards it sounds like. Great, who broke in now?   
  
Marco fought the urge to roll his eyes.    
  
“Yeah?”   
  
“Sir, there is an andalite here to see you. She says that she is an old friend of your’s.”    
  
“An old friend?” Marco couldn’t remember making any friends with any  _ female  _ andalites. Maybe it was someone he met at one of the many, many boring formal parties he went to. But it was enough to make him want to see who it was. It wasn’t often an andalite goes looking for you.    
  
“Yes, but I didn’t catch her name.”   
  
“Yeah it’s alright, tell her I’ll be down in five.” Marco told him as he starts slipping on his abercrombie tee again.    
  
“Very well sir.”   
  
Now who could she possibly be? Was she really a friend or someone who’s looking for favors. Andalites were a very forward species so he would probably know pretty soon what she wanted. 

Once Marco got downstairs he was met with an unusual blue female andalite standing awkwardly in his foyer. She hadn’t noticed his approach since she was focused on the several paintings hanging on the walls just next to the stairs. Her four eyes wandered the paintings quietly while her fingers lightly touched her delicate cheek. Marco even got a chance to take a moment to look over her shapely body which was amazing by the way.

“Hey there.” Marco greeted, clearing his throat. The andalite jerked, clearly startled, before snapping a stalk towards him.    
  
<Marco?> The female called quietly as she shuffled around to face him. Once Marco got a good look at her face he felt like he definitely knew her from somewhere. But where?

“Yeah that’s my name, don’t wear it out.” Marco joked as he hopped down the last few stairs. 

<Ah, do not worry I shall not.> The andalite replied awkwardly, tail curling nervously against her legs.    
  
“Anyway, who are you?” Marco stopped just out of tail swiping range as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You look really familiar.”   
  
The female’s eyes lit up in surprise before she quickly dipped her stalks towards him. <I believe it has been a long time hasn’t it? Estrid-Corill-Darrath.>   
  
Estrid? Wait a moment…   
  
Marco’s eyes lit up in recognition. “You’re that chick that Ax had a crush on!”

<Ah… you remember me as that?> Estrid sounded a bit upset with him. But yet her expression remained blank.

“Er… yeah... I’m sorry?” Marco felt a bit confused by her reaction. 

<No need to be Marco. I am not surprised you only remember me as that. We had only known one another briefly.> Estrid’s tone was stiffly formal now. Painfully formal actually. 

“Yeah, I guess we hanged out once? It was fun.” Marco rubbed the back of his neck, smiling. Marco was a little bit surprised by how cute she was still. Andalites certainly do age better than a lot of humans. “So what brings you here to my mansion anyway?”   
  
<I have come to visit simply because I wish to reconnect with you.> Estrid looked like she was starting to relax her expression. <I have currently taken a job in L.A. and saw that you did not live too far from there.>   
  
“Oh, what kind of job?” Marco queried, feeling more interested now.    
  
<I am doing research on multiple illnesses affecting both andalites and humans.> Her eyes curled into a warm smile.    
  
“That’s actually… pretty nice of you.” Marco raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. “Like curing cancer or something?”   
  
Estrid shifted her hooves, her expression neutral again. <No, more like the flu and the common cold. I mostly specialize in virology and xeno-virology. I am conducting research on a new strain of flu the humans are calling the Avian Flu.>   
  
“That’s… interesting. I guess I should start calling you Dr. Estrid or something right?” Marco chuckled at himself.    
  
<If you so wish to. According to you humans, my degree translates to a P.H.D.> Estrid’s expression remained very neutral as she spoke. She wasn’t kidding about that.   
  
“Oh uh… cool.” 

The two of them stared at one another in silence. She looked like she was waiting for him to say or do something but what?

“Uh… you… wanna get a drink?” Marco asked hesitantly.

<A drink?> Estrid blinked her wide green eyes at him. <Of what?>

“I’ve got some Bailey’s and Jack Daniels.” Maybe a bit of booze might help. After all nothing like bonding over a bottle of Jack.

Estrid tipped a stalk at him for a moment as if she was pondering what he was saying. But her eyes suddenly lit up in recognition before she quickly dipped her stalks to him. <Yes, I believe I will partake in your intoxicants.>   
  
Marco felt himself almost sag in relief at her answer. So she wasn’t a tight ass like other andalites. Well this could be fun and he hadn’t gotten drunk with an andalite before anyway. 

“Yeah let’s go then.”

Marco walked off with her trailing behind him quietly. It was pretty cool that she decided to look him up after all of these years. Maybe she was just lonely or maybe she wanted to make friends, who knew. But he was just glad for the change of pace for once. He might not have a lot in common with her but hey it’ll be interesting. How much could she have changed in like five or six years?

Also how did she remember him in the first place? Was he really that memorable? Probably yeah considering how charming he was. After all, what girl could forget a face like his?

<Oh!>   
  
Marco noticed that she had stopped right in front of his game room, her upper body inside of the door. Curious, Marco walked to her side just as she started to step out. The blue female fixed her bright green eyes on him, glee rolling off of her in waves.    
  
“What’s up?”   
  
<This!> Estrid eagerly motioned towards the room. <Your collection! It’s absolutely massive! So much bigger than mine!>   
  
“Uh… What?” 

Wait was she a… gamer?

<Oh my goodness!> Without even asking, she pranced inside before making a beeline for his playstation shelves. Her fingers lightly danced over the case bindings as both of her stalks tirelessly moved from side to side. Marco leaned on the door way as she pranced away to his nintendo shelves as well, tail raised in what was probably excitement.    
  
<Turok! Oh look!> She was pulling out his Rayman case, eyes wide. <I love this game! I must have beaten it at least five or six times!>   
  
“I didn’t take you for a gamer.” Marco said, impressed. Now there’s something you don’t see all the time.    
  
<Ah! Yes, yes. When I was first here on your planet I found what you humans called an ‘arcade’. I was enraptured by Galaga. Such a simple war game but oh my did it have some challenge! I could hardly believe that humans would make something so simple yet so fun. It reminded me of the games my brother and I used to play while mother went to see father.> Estrid gushed as she put away the case, watching Marco with a stalk. 

“You guys are able to get our games on your planet?” Marco asked. 

<Yes, it is not easy but some andalites came back with copies of games. They were reproduced before being distributed as ‘educational’ material on human culture. Silly really considering it sparked a new sub-culture amongst the challenge inclined.>

“So wait, there are  _ more  _ andalite nerds?” Marco was pretty impressed that Earth had an effect on andalite entertainment.

<Very much so! Oh my! Oh my!>

Estrid looked like she was ready to cream herself in excitement. Marco wondered if he should just get her out of here before she really lost it. But watching her gush and coo over his games gave him a sense of pleasure and pride. Not even his guy friends showed this much interest in his game collection. 

<Perhaps we can play later?> Estrid was hugging a copy of Warcraft to her chest, eyes glimmering with excitement.    
  
“Yeah sure.” Marco chuckled, feeling his heart starting to beat faster at her smile. “But first let’s get hammered.”   
  
Estrid slipped the case into the shelf before nodding her stalks at him. She breathed in deep then straightened herself up, composing herself once more. <Yes, I would love to ‘catch up’ and see how your life has been.>

* * *

 

 

Estrid had taken the morph of a young woman with red hair and blue eyes. Well the spitting image of an stereotypical irish-man. Marco was a bit surprised that she would’ve chosen a flashy morph like that but andalites weren’t exactly fans of ‘Earthy colors’. But what was really off putting was the fact that she looked like a goth. Like a real goth.    
  
“So this is Jack.” Estrid twisted off the cap of her drink as they walked down the garden path to his pool.    
  
“Yeah, be careful though that stuff is  _ strong.”  _ Marco warned her as he popped off the cap of his Budweiser. 

“Smells strong.” Estrid commented as she takes a whiff. 

The two of them take a seat at poolside, the both of them dipping their feet into the lukewarm water. Estrid was already sipping on her drink by the time they made it to the pool. She would not stop commenting on how much it burned her throat. Marco thought she was crazy that she was still drinking it even after coughing for a good minute after one particular gulp of Jack. 

“You are rather well off Marco.” Estrid had finally taken her mouth off of the bottle long enough to actually talk. 

“Yeah I guess. I mean I did help save the world. Kind of getting paid just for existing at this point.” Marco took his first swig of his beer. “But the interviews pay a lot too.”

“I assume so considering large houses are quite the status symbol on Earth.” Estrid was eyeing her drink again. Marco wasn’t too surprised to see her downing it again. But she pulled away long enough to say, “I assume you have many females after you because of your status.”   
  
“Uh yeah… I've got a lot of fangirls.” Marco felt uneasy for some reason about her pointing that out. “I’ve got a wife already so can’t really go around sleeping with girls. She’s a supermodel, hot as all hell.”

Estrid took a long moment to drink her drink, looking like she was avoiding looking at him. But once she was finished, she set it down in her lap. “I am glad you have. Does she treat you well?”

Marco felt like there was something else to her question. Like she was hoping for some kind of answer. But maybe he was just reading too much into her tone.    
  
“Yeah, sorry if this is pretty raunchy, but she’s like a she-devil in bed. Never a dull morning with her.” Marco grinned up at the andalite. “That and she gives the best massages.”   
  
“Ah, sexual attraction tends to do that.” She now sounded a bit distant and looked it too. Something was up.

“So how about you? Got some guy in your life?” Marco asked as he swirled his beer around in the bottle watching as it began to bubble more. 

Estrid brought the lip of the bottle to her mouth and takes a small sip. She pulls away the bottle then swipes her tongue around her lips a few times, looking thoughtful. Her blue eyes focused on the pool as she slowly swirls a foot in it. Something looked like it was troubling her.   
  
“Me and Aximili had dated for the few months he was forced to stay on Andal.”   
  
Marco lets out a small laugh as he rests his Budweiser on the concrete next to him. “Forced?”   
  
“The way he acted he certainly made it seem as so. He was always talking about his leave or what he must do before he does leave. I could’ve sworn that he was more in love with the army than he was with me.” Estrid sniffed before bringing the bottle to her mouth. Her eyes hardened as she takes another swig before setting down the bottle with a clank.     
  
“Yeah that sounds like Ax.” Marco looks down at the glowing water he had his feet dipped in. “So what happened between you two?”

“I ended my courtship him right before he left. It was apparent he wasn’t truly interested in me. I believe he was only doing as society expected of him.” Estrid gritted her teeth for a moment as she clutched the bottle in her right hand, squeezing until her knuckles turned white. “He hardly reacted. Just dipped his stalks and left without a word. I was a fool to believe that he wanted me for who I was. No, he was simply courting me because he just liked how I looked.”

Marco fell silent as he picked up his beer, downing more of it as he began to think. It sounded way too much like how he had gotten his own wife. She was pretty, yeah, but she was shallow as all hell too. The only things she had going for her was her looks and how great she was in bed. She had probably married him for the same reasons too which made them both just as shallow. Their marriage was pretty much on thin ice, especially after she came back from italy. She had gotten a lot more bitchy and distant after she came back.

For a moment he felt bitter that Estrid had avoided doing the same mistake he had made.

“I guess it’s for the best.” Marco finally said once he put down his drink. “I mean Ax is a nice guy but he’s-”

“Married to his job.” Estrid finished for him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “I am very well aware.”   
  
Marco looked at her with raised brows, wondering how she knew that human idiom. Was she watching TV or something?   
  
“Anyway, I met your wife.” Estrid was being blunt again and the booze probably wasn’t helping. She was even starting to slur her words a bit. “She is lovely but she sounds like a dying  _ Jarala _ .”    
  
“Uh… Excuse me?” Marco was taken aback by her aggression. 

“Her voice Marco, it was unpleasant. Andalites are more sensitive to pitch changes than humans are. She sounded like she was a dying animal.” Estrid once again brought the Jack to her lips and begins to gulp it down. She accidentally spilt some on her shirt but didn’t look like she cared. 

Was she already drunk? How much of a lightweight was she?!   
  
“Okay Estrid, first of all, that’s rude as all fuck. Second of all-” Marco snatched the bottle from Estrid’s hand making her jerk her head towards him, glaring. “-you’re drinking way too fast.”   
  
“I can morph any damages away.” Estrid sniffed, moving a strand of her red hair out of her face.    
  
“Not if you get fucking black out drunk.” Marco scolded her as he moved the bottle way out of her reach before setting it down. “That’s  _ enough _ .”

That made her snap. Her expression turned from just being upset to being pissed, five seconds flat. 

“As you humans say quite gracelessly,  _ fuck you _ .” Estrid snarled as she pushed herself up to her feet, swaying for a moment as Marco stared up at her stunned. Where did she learn to speak like that?

Estrid stumbled as she starts backing away from the pool, obviously trying to leave. She takes a few steps back then starts stumbling forward as she tried to right herself when she started falling back. Marco realized that she was probably going to fall so he was quick to get up. But he found himself stumbling instead and grabbing onto her arm as he tips over. Estrid wasn’t stable either so that was pretty much like grabbing onto a tipping pole. 

A loud shriek pierced his ears before everything becomes muffled as water floods his ears. Marco could feel himself wake up entirely as cool water pressed against all sides of body. He struggled for a moment then pushed his way to the surface, jumping up to grab onto the ledge. His nose burned painfully as he coughed, trying to push his soggy hair out of his face with his other hand trying to see if Estrid got up as well.    
  
He felt relief wash over him as she comes up too on the shallow side of the pool. She stumbled her way up the stairs before collapsing on her knees, her hands flat on the ground. Her skin begins to ripple as the shape of strands of fur begin to appear on her skin. Marco watched in silence as she demorphed, still coughing from her nose in that strange andalite way. Once she had completely demorphed, she was up on all four of her hooves, fur sticking out in all places.    
  
<Marco?> She squared herself, tail flicking water of the blade.   
  
“Yeah?” Marco was already starting to lift himself up out of the water once she starts walking towards him.    
  
<Please do forgive me, I believe I had gotten loose with my thoughts.> Estrid offered her tail to him to help him out the rest of the way. She looked pretty sorry too, not just because she was a mess.   
  
Marco glanced up at her in shock for a moment then smiled pleasingly, grabbing onto the bony part just below the tail blade. Well that was certainly a change of attitude. With her help, he dragged himself completely out of the water.    
  
Marco got to his feet then brushed wet strands out of his face, eyeing the female andalite. He hesitated for a minute to admire exactly how proud looking she was at that moment. He could feel himself being thrown back to that night he had decided to try to make friends with this strange girl. The strange girl that had tried to fix her mistakes but did it far too late. Just like now.    
  
But this time, she was right on the mark.    
  
“Don’t worry about it.” Marco started tugging off his wet shirt. “She said something to you didn’t she?”

Estrid’s eyes lit up in surprise before she rapidly blinked her main eyes. <No, it was something she said as she passed by..>

Marco tossed aside his shirt. “Like what?”   
  
<When she passed by me I could hear her muttering about you… something rather unpleasant.>   
  
“Like?” Marco pushed.   
  
<I only caught this part but she said ‘Marco you son of a bitch’.> Estrid flicked her ears as she leaned back on her hindlegs. <Then I believe she said something about you being a homosexual.>   
  
“Ah…” Not too surprising. “Yeah, I messed around with guys before but I’m not gay.”   
  
Estrid looked at him blankly while cocking her head ever so slightly, almost questioning him.    
  
“Hey, if you’d ever been to one of those whitelist hollywood block parties then you’ll understand.” Marco felt his cheeks starting to burn in embarrassment.    
  
<I am not judging you Marco.> Estrid said simply.    
  
“Then what’s with the look?” Marco started getting to his feet. Yeah right.   
  
Estrid simply pointed to his bare chest with a frown wrinkling her main eyes. Marco looked down just in time to see that he still had the hickeys from this morning. Blushing he snatched up his shirt before covering his chest with it. He grinned nervously up at Estrid wondering if she knew what those were. Why did his wife have to suck on him like that?!   
  
<Those look painful.> Her voice had noticeably softened, startling Marco. She actually looked worried now. Was she thinking these were bruises or something? Well technically yeah they were but what the fuck.    
  
“Not really no.” Marco started wringing out his shirt to put back on. 

<Your mate did that didn’t she?>

“Yeah.” Marco raised his eyebrow at her frown. 

<I believe I do not like her for sure.> Estrid rested her elbow in her hand.    
  
“Yeah… I don’t like her much to be honest. She’s hot and a great fuck but…”   
  
<She lacks personality and intelligence. She feels good but she doesn't make you feel loved as well.> Once again, there she goes finishing for him. This was starting to get weird.    
  
“It’s like you’ve met her or something.” Marco laughed nervously.    
  
<I have read about her because I was curious about your mate. She is rather shallow and a busybody as well. She doesn’t even have a degree, her success was made completely on her looks. A shallow female indeed.>

If Marco wasn’t a bit drunk he probably would’ve thought she sounded jealous. But really, why would  _ she  _ be jealous?’

“Estrid you’re kinda…” Marco stopped himself there wondering if he should point out to an alien centaur with a kitchen knife for a tail that she was being pretty brutal. 

<I am aware of what I am saying Marco. I do not like her.> Estrid scrapped a hoof against the ground a few times.    
  
“Okay now you’re just getting really creepy. Why are you so fucking angry? You barely know me and yet here you are dissing my wife like some jealous bitch. Like what the fuck Estrid? You like me or something?” Marco quickly took a stumbling step back as soon as he finished, knowing he said something really fucking stupid. Oh man, he probably fucked up bad saying that. Andalites were super forward but that didn’t mean they didn’t get super pissed over the truth. 

<Yes I do.> Came her simple reply. Her eyes were intensely focused on his as she said it too. Like she was pretty certain that she was, in fact, in love with him.

At that moment Marco felt his brain short out and stop.What the fuck? She barely knew him right? Or was she some kind of stalker he didn’t know about? Oh god, did he invite his stalker to drink with him? Was Estrid that kind of girl?

“E-Excuse me?”

<Do you understand how romantic and sexual attraction works with andalites?> Estrid prompted him very seriously.   
  
“Uh… not really?” Marco never thought of andalites having a different way of loving people or falling in love. Then again, he didn’t think much beyond the human race at this point. Kind of this therapy at this point.

<Andalites are attracted to those who have either a pleasing physical appearance or a pleasing mental feeling. Physical attraction is part of our primal biological programming but mentally it is something that had recently developed when our telepathic abilities grew. When you had spoken to me in your morph it was essentially->

“Estrid, just make it simple for me alright. No need to get too technical.” Marco did not want a biology lesson half-drunk. 

<Very well then. Essentially in a way similar to pheromones, your mental energy attracted me. Your physical appearance is something I find to be rather unattractive but your mind… I felt a connection that made me feel we are similar enough to be compatible as mates. It had taken me dating Aximili to realize that my affections would be put to better use somewhere else. He is attractive but we are not compatible on a telepathic level.>

“So you’re… sexually attracted to my brain?” Marco wasn’t sure if he should feel creeped out or awed.    
  
<Yes, when you put it in such a manner.> She answered simply. 

Ok, that was weird. Marco had heard of being attracted to smart guys but this is a whole new level. All Marco could think of was ‘mind fucked’ in that moment which made him wonder if andalites could do that too.

“Oh great uh… I’m flattered but uh… wife and all… and also...  _ you’re a fucking alien. _ ” Marco motioned to her whole body as he said this. Yeah she was pretty sexy for an alien but holy shit that was a can of worms he didn’t want to open. 

On one hand, she’s a hot nerdy alien chick who just nerded out to his games earlier. Not only that but he pretty much bared his heart to her when he was younger which she did the same in return. So it wasn’t like they were  _ complete  _ strangers. But xenophilia is pretty frowned upon by both andalites and humans. Also he had a wife. Even if she was a bitch sometimes, she was his wife. He can’t really start cheating on her.

Oh god, why was he even conflicted in the first place?!

<Marco, you were the one who said that you found me attractive first.> Estrid calmly pointed out, tail trembling.

“Yeah but…” She did have a point there. Damn it , why did he have to be so  _ smooth _ .

<But I understand, you have a wife.> Estrid shook one of her stalks, almost like she was shaking her head at him. <I will not encroach on your relationship.>

“Ah thanks…” Well at least she was being respectful.

<Now then, shall I leave? It would seem I have made quite the mess of things.> Estrid straightened herself up. 

Yeah it would probably be a great idea to kick her out now that he knew how she felt. But… Marco liked to live dangerously. To be honest it was refreshing having someone actually intelligent to talk to. All of this talk about the latest fashions or gossiping about other celebs, it gets boring after a year. Estrid at least liked video games and didn’t spend five minutes whining that she should’ve worn something else. 

Marco shook his head as he slipped on his shirt again, grinning up at the female andalite. “Naw, how about we just go and play some Kingdom Hearts or something. I’m kind of sick of being outside.”

Estrid’s eyes lit up, almost shining with delight as she turned back around. Marco couldn’t help but smile at her childish glee as she pawed at the ground. <I would prefer if we play Doom 2 if you do not mind.>   
  
Marco felt his face heat up as he found himself smiling even more. One of his favorite game series. How did she know? “A lover of the classics I see, a girl after my own heart.”   
  
Estrid’s ear tips darkened as she blinked rapidly again. <I prefer the speed of it in comparison to the first title. The first felt far to clunky and slow which made me feel limited in terms of gameplay. That and it is quite the improvement mechanic wise over the first.>   
  
“Faster? Naw not really but I agree with you on the second one.” Marco motioned for her to follow him. She was quick to join him at his side as he walked back into his mansion.    
  
<Oh please, the combat is surely faster. You simply do not have eyes if you think otherwise. > Estrid snorted in disbelief.    
  
“Rriiiggghhhtttt.” Marco dramatically rolled his eyes as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. 

Estrid curled her eyes into a smile while he looked back up at her. Marco, for a moment, felt like she had some sort of secret. 

<How about I hack your system and up the play speed then. Surely that won’t be a problem since the first one is faster.>   
  
Marco laughed, wondering if that was a good idea or not. But he loved a good challenge and with her, it was probably going to be a massive challenge.    
  
“Yeah, you’re on.”


End file.
